The United States is planning to shut down several of its embassies and consulates across the globe — including its mission in the Republic of Congo — in a cost-cutting initiative spearheaded by the Trump administration.
According to The New York Times, a confidential document from the U.S. State Department outlines the closure of 10 embassies and 17 consulates, most of them located in Africa.
Embassies targeted for closure include those in:
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Central African Republic
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Eritrea
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Gambia
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Lesotho
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Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville)
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South Sudan
U.S. media reports state the move is part of Washington’s broader efforts to reduce federal spending. However, the decision still requires approval from the U.S. Congress.
The closures have raised alarm among analysts who fear the U.S. might be ceding diplomatic ground to China — especially in regions where Washington has historically held more influence than Beijing.
Beyond Africa, the U.S. is also considering closing embassies in Luxembourg and Malta (Europe), as well as in Grenada and the Maldives.
Planned consulate closures include:
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🇫🇷 France: Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Rennes, Strasbourg
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🇩🇪 Germany: Düsseldorf, Leipzig
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🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina: Mostar, Banja Luka
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🇬🇷 Greece: Thessaloniki
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🇮🇹 Italy: Florence
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🇵🇹 Portugal: Ponta Delgada
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🇬🇧 UK: Edinburgh
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🇨🇲 Cameroon: Douala
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🇮🇩 Indonesia: Medan
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🇿🇦 South Africa: Durban
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🇰🇷 South Korea: Busan
Services from these missions are expected to be transferred to nearby U.S. embassies in neighboring countries.
